


Underground Lights

by FhimeChan



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Crossdressing, Domestic, Fluff and Humor, Hades!Hannibal, Hercules!Chilton, Jumping between past and present, M/M, Megara!Will, Morally Ambiguous Will, POV Alternating, Yet another Hades and Persephone inspired AU, hercules au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-12-01 22:56:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20926127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FhimeChan/pseuds/FhimeChan
Summary: Once upon a time, Will traded his soul for Alana's life. Luckily, Chilton wants to save (and marry) him.An Hercules AU where Will is Meg, Hannibal is Hades, Chilton is Hercules and True Love always wins.





	Underground Lights

**Author's Note:**

  * For [broken_fannibal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/broken_fannibal/gifts), [Cinnamaldeide](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinnamaldeide/gifts).

> Ages ago I was encouraged by @brokenfannibal and @cinnamaldeide to write this AU... It took a while! Thank you for the push ♥
> 
> I was the one betaing, I surely missed a lot, be kind and let me know :)

Crystal clear water under a shining blue sky; a sweet willow dipping his fingers into the lazy river over the bend; blinding white clouds waltzing in the gentle breeze. In any other occasion Will would have loved the place.

“Fucking tell me where's my thing!”

Currently, with his long curly hair stuck in a thorny bush and a massive centaur kicking in the mud few inches from his feet, he only wants to deliver his potion and go.

Not that he is worried about being stumped to death, since a decade of living in the underworld took the edge out of dying, except for he is not sure he could eat Hannibal’s cuisine as a spirit. 

Channeling Hannibal’s best manners, Will says, “A moment, if you may.”

He considers extracting his dagger and cutting everything, hair, wood and leaves, but Hannibal has said his curls are pretty. 

It had been eight years ago, but still. 

Muttering under his breath, Will keeps sorting out the small branches one by one, while the centaur inches closer, kicking droplets of muddy water everywhere. 

“My thing!”

The beast grows too nervous, so Will tears the last lock and step away to avoid a hoof in his belly. His hair falls to his shoulders in waves. 

Hands up in a placating gesture, Will says, "The force infuse you required in exchange for your services is in my sachet." He feels for it in his bag, not taking his eyes away from the centaur. “Let me just-”

With the corner of his eyes, Will sees something falling from the sky, and brings his hand up just in time to shield his face from the worst of the splash of water. When the drops stop falling, he peers between his fingers. A man riding a pegasus has landed in the now muddy shore.

That is all Will can see before the centaur shakes his water off, the pegasus flaps his wings and Will is thoroughly, hopelessly soaked in cold mud.

He bits back a curse. If someone showers Hades's herald in cold water, that someone is either mortally dumb or very powerful, and he wants to discover which one before acting. 

As Will collects his hair into a dripping ponytail, the newcomer yells, "Fear the Herculean Chilton, son of Zeus!" 

Will rolls his eyes. An idiot. But the name is familiar. Wasn't Hercules that one hero Hannibal was worried about, years before?

The centaur frowns in confusion as both the pegasus and the man snarl at him. Chilton does an unnecessary complicated gesture with his sword and yells, “Stop harassing the magnificent madame, you unholy creature!"

Madame? Will glances down at his loose tunic. Admittedly, the mud has crushed on Will’s chest at a weird angle, but the fabric do not cover Will’s legs, which are definitely not feminine.

Chilton charges while Will is trying to brush off a wet spot under his knee, His head snaps up in time to see the centaur punched with enough force to fly away, as high as the sun chariot.

Will sighs. Now he will have to find a substitute for the beast to keep Hannibal's organization efficient, and years before the centaur was supposed to die.

Chilton misunderstands Will’s reaction, flinging himself off the pegasus in his haste to comfort him. "Don't worry, oh fairest between the ladies, that beast won't try to steal your candid flower ever again."

"Good thing I prefer thorns."

Chilton blinks. "Oh most beautiful nymph, my Herculean heroism will protect your Thorns, and shine over your delicate constitution."

Will closes his eyes not to glare. Diplomacy. Hannibal has plans for Chilton, plans probably Will will be the one to execute. He can not outright insult Hercules, despite the inappropriate once over the man is giving him. 

"Herculean Chilton, mighty Hero, thank you for saving me from the beast. But I'm afraid I can't stay longer. My curse binds me to the underworld. Farewell."

Will pronounces the last word with a hint of hope. Sometimes Hannibal forfeits his schemes. Maybe this will be the case.

Chilton falls on his knees in front of him. "I swear I'll free you, my one and true love."

The ground swallows Will before he laughs in Chilton’s face.

* * *

Faltering footsteps and a shortcoming breath entered Hannibal’s domain. 

He looked down from his throne. 

A mere mortal, bruised eyes circled in red, still and tall despite the hand strongly pressed against his flank. Curls glued to a sweaty forehead. The path to Hell is not easy. 

“I’m here to beg for Alana’s soul. You can save her.”

Tension in strain of his mouth, but his eyes were determined as he sustained Hannibal’s gaze. 

“And what do you offer in exchange?”

“My own soul.”

Not a sign of hesitation. 

“A soul for a soul. I accept.”

The mortal closed his eyes and his legs yielded. He tumbled on the ground, rolling on his back and breathing deeply. 

* * *

Will strides in the familiar candlelit hall, keeping his hand up on Cerberus’s fur while walking. One of the heads bows down to lick him on the forehead. 

“Hannibal?”

Calling Hannibal aloud is part of their routine, even if Will knows he will find the god in the kitchen. He walks quickly to the small side door and opens it. While the rest of the palace is immense and grand, meant to impress, the kitchen is cozy and warm. 

Hannibal smiles up at him before going back to rolling some kind of dough. He looks younger in his white apron, softer, whatever that could mean for an immortal being. Will can not help a smile at the white spot of flour on Hannibal’s chin. 

He enters the small room, leaving some wild berries on the only empty patch of the counter, silently picking a glass from a cabinet. Hannibal has added a small pouch on the corner for Will, where he sits with his glass of mead. He takes a sip and slumps down before asking, “Do you remember when you sent me to that guy, Hercules?”

Cerberus is too big to pass through the door, but he tries anyway. He pushes one of his heads inside the room, tongue lolling just beside Will’s arm. Will scratches him in his favorite spot behind the ear.

“Yes. If I recall correctly, we were unable to locate him.” Hannibal divides the dough into small pieces. Dumplings, maybe.

“Not ‘we’, ‘I’ couldn't find him. Anyway, I met him today.”

Hannibal carefully lays his tools on the table, then turns to Will. “Last time my spies saw him, years ago, he wanted to fight me to liberate the deads.”

Will puts the glass on the floor and leans forward, hands on his knees.“Yeah, I remember now. As if the planet could afford to host a fucking army of zombies.”

Hannibal clicks his tongue and Will looks at Cerberus to hide a smile. Hannibal has given up trying to control his language years before, but he still grimaces at every swear. Endearing, really, how he bites his lips not to complain aloud. 

Hannibal scoops some sort of processed meat up from a pan and lies it over the dough. “I’m afraid we need to carry on with our original plan.”

“Luring him into a trap? It'll be easy. That guy’s an idiot, he’s convinced I’m a woman.” 

There is a moment of hesitation, which Will perceives only because he is attuned to Hannibal’s movements. Then Hannibal’s lips twitches up, and he lies down the pan to give Will his full attention. Will instantly regrets his last sentence. 

“Regrettably, Hercules was gifted at birth with the power to end me.” Hannibal circles the counter until he is standing in front of Will. Despite the years together, Will’s heart beats faster, as his eyes are drawn to Hannibal’s steps. He can not be over how the god of the underworld moves like a dancer. 

Which is why he is caught absolutely unprepared by Hannibal’s next words. “I think I can find you a dress appropriate for a romantic dinner.”

Silence.

“Are you serious?”

Will knows that glint in Hannibal’s eyes. Mischief. He is so doomed. 

* * *

The man’s eyes widened in surprise when Hannibal asked him where he wanted to live. 

"You hold my soul. I shall defer to your choice."

"You're bound to me; but I see no reason why you shouldn’t choose your residence."

The man stared, pinning the god of the underworld under blue eyes. Hannibal uncrossed his legs. Maybe the man had divine blood, and could _ see_...

Cerberus ran inside the throne room. Halfway through, the dog changed direction and charged towards the man, who laughed. He rose on his toes to scratch the neck of Cerberus, terror of gods and mortals, who slurped him in return.

The man turned his smile to Hannibal, finally relaxing. On the Olympus, Fate giggled.

“I've always wanted to live in a place with a dog, close to a river."

"Lethe's just outside."

"Yes."

* * *

"And the day when I'll defeat Hades Zeus has accepted to formally make me ascend to Olympus, so that all the world will celebrate my power..."

The fabric pulls uncomfortably at Will's tights as he shifts in his seat. He wonders if the father of the gods has thrown Chilton in Hannibal's way out of sheer annoyance. It seems more likely at each word which leaves Chilton’s mouth. 

Maybe they could simply fake Hannibal's death instead of killing Chilton, so he would ascend and be Zeus’s problem again. Except that they need to maintain Hades's reputation. It is difficult enough to keep the strawberry soufflés a secret.

"...and then we'll marry and move to the Olympus and..."

Will flinches, unnoticed, and jumps up, only to wobble on high heels and almost fall on The Hero’s lap.

He saves himself with a hand on the table "My apologies. I think it's time for me to go back."

Chilton does not answer immediately, frowning, and Will fears he has seen his hairy and flat chest. He holds his breath until Chilton bends down, collecting something blue from the ground.

Which is worse. 

Will snatches the object from Chilton’s hands, hoping he has not had time to read the awfully embroidered name, and pushes it into his small purse. 

Chilton looks up in puzzlement. “You aren't called Hannibal.” 

Will laughs, but manages to change it into something less mocking and more regretful halfway through. “Yes, it's…” While Chilton would probably believe anything, Will has standards. “It's… my curse. As long as I have it, I can't leave the underworld.”

Chilton reaches for his purse. “Give it to me, I can rip it apart with my Herculean strength.”

Will jumps out of reach, almost tearing the dress in his haste, forgets he is wearing heels and falls down. 

Pretending that it did not happen and leaving his hair in front of his face to cover his expression, Will says, “I must keep it with me or… or… I'll become a toad. Trust me, the curse is too strong to simply rip it.”

Chilton gets up and hauls Will upright, then holds onto him for too long. Will would die before admitting that he needs a bit of help with those hellish shoes, but does not trust himself to walk on his own yet. He takes care to spread his shawl over his absence of chest, holding into the soft fabric. 

Chilton says, solemn. "I'm so sorry that it happened to you, darling. But don't worry, soon I'll..."

Will recoils in horror at the pet name, balancing on the table. He mutters, “I'm sorry, I really need to go now.” Trying to save the facade, he adds, “Toad,” and vanishes underground. 

Hannibal is waiting for him in the hall with Cerberus, looking uncharacteristically ruffled. 

Will throws away the shoes and makes sure his purse is perfectly closed before approaching him. 

"Welcome home, Will." Hannibal's eyes studies Will carefully, softening when he bends to pet the dog. "Dark blue lace brings out your eyes."

Will looks up, too tired to answer this affirmation with the disdain it deserves. 

He scratches his eyes, yawning. "Wondered why you picked it. Eyes. Should have known your inner decorator would go rogue."

Hannibal makes a face, then yawns too. Will snorts.

* * *

Steps in the middle of the night. Outside.

Will. 

Hannibal rose, following the irrational urge to look out of the window. 

Will. Eyes closed, face tilted upwards. 

Maybe the was mourning the loss of the stars. 

* * *

Chilton frowns at Will. "You're saying that I can become immortal just swimming into the River of the Dead?"

It is only their second 'date', definitely too soon to reveal that information, but Will is done with restrictive clothes. He did not know it is possible for his flanks be uncomfortable, but the bottom of the corset is digging into his ribs, no matter how silky the fabric which covers it.

"Yes. It's ancient magic, older than the Gods. You jump in, you jump out, you're immortal." Will flashes him a smile, imagining the moment when he will be free to play with Cerberus instead of being stuck with the hero. "So Zeus will have to accept you in the Olympus, no murdering required. Easy."

Chilton blinks. "Then why nobody does it?"

Will sighs inwardly, but keeps smiling. "Because Hades drowns everyone who tries." Chilton pales. Will hurries to explain. "But don't worry, I'll take care of that. Just don't tell anyone, or I may be in trouble."

Chilton keeps staring, and Will fears that after all he may not be as gullible as it seems. His smile falters. Chilton leans closer, touching Will's shoulder. Will manages just not to shake him off.

Chilton says, "Poor thing. You must have seen so much death."

Off center, Will blurts out his first thought. "I'm Hades' harald, of course I do." He manages to change his tone of voice halfway through, making it sound sad instead of sarcastic.

"Were you forced to kill someone?"

The irony of receiving sympathy from his designed victim is not lost on Will, who is nevertheless annoyed by the patronizing question. Why is everyone assuming he is weak?

He forces a laugh, knowing it will sound awkward. "You don't want to know."

Chilton takes Will's hand. He says quietly. "I'll murder Hades for this."

"Immortality first, please." And again, Will manages to turn it into a plea.

* * *

"Will."

The man stared wide eyed from the door. Hannibal glanced down at his bowl of custard. Impeccable. 

"Is your accommodation of your liking?"

Will laughed, nervous and strained. "I don't know how to use half of the tools you gave me."

Hannibal gestured to a stool. Will took one step forward, did not sit. 

"It'll be my pleasure to demonstrate their use any time you may need them.” 

Will clenched and unclenched his fists. "My lord..."

"Hannibal would suffice."

Will blinked, scratched his face, peeked at Hannibal from behind his fingers. "What am I even doing here?"

Ah.

"I had hoped to discuss it with you once you had settled."

"You... Don't know?"

Unusually insightful.

"Humans mourn their deads in the upper world where they can forget their pain in the light. Few came here to beg for mercy, and those I couldn't help, because death is irreversible. You were the first who successfully claimed a life back."

Will's eyes shone in understanding. "You don't require my services. You do everything alone."

Accurate enough to take Hannibal off center. This could be useful. 

"So far, yes. But there are some things that are hard for me, due to my reputation." The cream was ready, so he took the cake out of the oven. Having an audience was pleasant. "Tell me, Will, what do you think of a job as my harald?"

Will sat down. "Well, I think I can manage being more terrifying than you."

* * *

Unable to sleep, Will goes out to look at the stars. He has never told anyone, but he can always find the constellations behind closed eyelids, even underground. If anything, the absence of clouds on the ceiling of the cave makes it easier. 

He is staring at Orion when he hears someone stepping towards him. He smiles, without opening his eyes. He can see a horned figure hovering close, black yet outshining the moon. He knows he will see simply Hannibal if he opens his eyes, so he keeps them close. 

“Hannibal.”

“Hello, Will. May I join you?”

_ I has been waiting for you all those years, _ Will thinks with startling lucidity. 

“Staring at the ceiling while you could be sleeping? Sure, why not?”

Orion shines over them, reflected on Will’s curls and Hannibal’s horns. 

* * *

Will tentatively asked Hannibal if he could send a letter to Alana and seemed genuinely puzzled when Hannibal told him to visit her. 

Hannibal glanced up from his herbal garden. “How could my harald be confined underground?”

Will opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, waved a hand in the air and went.

Hours later, when he came back, his eyes were red.

Hannibal’s resulting sadness was only partially soothed by Will's small smile at his favourite omelette. 

“Thank you.”  
He ate quietly. Hannibal refrained from asking any questions. 

“When I told her, Alana cried.” Hannibal offered him more cake.“She blame herself for my ‘terrible fate’. She pitied me.” He frowned, halfway between angry and puzzled. “I could not refuse her request to come back from time to time.”

He bit his lips, hesitant.

“You can come and go as you please, of course.”

Will looked up, lips quirking up as he met Hannibal's eyes. Hannibal memorized the image to draw it later. “Yes, I know. I just need to be back in time for dinner, right?”

Hannibal had not requested it. He nodded nevertheless.

Time passed. Alana married Margot and stopped crying when she saw Will. Will came to like his visits to their peaceful small cottage in the woods.

Hannibal welcomed him back with his favourite dishes every time, just in case. 

* * *

Will waits for Chilton in front of the passage to the underworld, worrying his blue handkerchief out of habit, wearing some sensible shoes under by a pink soft tunic. His hair is collected into a loose knot which Hannibal has taken exactly one hour to prepare. For once, Will has not complained, enjoying the feelings of Hannibal’s hands on his skin.

Will realizes he was daydreaming when he opens his eyes and Chilton is already there. He looks pale, but so did the hundreds of people Will has led into the underworld.

Will points to the cave, pocketing the handkerchief with the other hand. “This way."

Chilton nods, following him without chattering, to Will's relief. They follow the path to the underworld and Will feels lighter at every step. His mission is almost accomplished.

Halfway through, Chilton asks, "The River of the Dead... Does it also break curses?"

Will considers telling the truth, but a lie is more likely to motivate Chilton. "Yes, of course."

They can hear the river, so Will stops, enjoying the the musical sound of water flowing in absolute silence. Chilton bumps into him, catching him just before he could fall.

Chilton says, "We're almost there," eyes fixed on Will's, then leans forward, aiming for the lips. Will jerks back.

Chilton looks at him with puzzlement, then his face lits in realization. "I'm sorry, we need to marry first, of course."

Will closes his eyes. Just few more minutes. 

* * *

“Do you desire immortality?”

Will transfixed Hannibal with his blue eyes. Hannibal feared he could see the reason behind his question. 

He hurried to add, “Mortals often fear aging.”

Will shrugged, “You don’t look young.”

Hannibal blinked. Once, twice. “I have many forms.”

“And you choose to go as a middle aged man.”

Will knew as well as Hannibal that the god of the underworld could not look too young. Hannibal did not dignify him with an answer. “You can choose now.”

Will looked down, at his hands, then at Hannibal. For a moment he seemed undecided, then shrugged again. “Nah, I think I’ll keep aging.”

Hannibal hoped he would change his mind, one day. 

* * *

Hannibal and Will stand side by side in the river shore, watching Chilton sink deeper and deeper. 

Will says, “It wasn’t so difficult.”

“Your ability to deceive people has grown since I met you.”

Will frowned. “Possibly, but he was that dumb. I'm just glad he's not a threat anymore.”

On autopilot, he searches for his handkerchief on his pockets, but they are empty. He looks around, then down at Chilton. There is a tiny bit of blue.

Will dives in. 

* * *

Will marched through the door of Hannibal’s studio, brushing his hand over the table cloth in the desk as he passed beside it. 

"What's that thing in the middle of my dining room?"

Hannibal put his pencil down. He had chosen the wrong moment for a drapery study. 

"A manual loom."

"And what the hell is doing there? Is it your idea of a joke?"

“Not at all. You like fabric. Maybe you can learn how to use it."

"What do you- But- How do you even know?"

Hannibal looked pointedly at Will's hands, which were worrying the hem of his sleeve. Will let go. 

"You like to rub your fingers over your clothes, especially over wool. You automatically touch any piece of cloth close to you. I left you some blue yarn. It may bring out the colour of your eyes."

Will stared at him, tangling and untangling a lock of hair between his fingers, at loss for words. 

Two weeks later, Will sighed at the awful result. Not good enough to be gifted. Hannibal had picked the yarn for him, so Will shoved it into his pockets. 

* * *

“Will!”

Hannibal bodily raises him out of the water, spraying small droplets of water all around and thoroughly soaking his pristine suit when he held Will across his chest. Cerberus barks and jumps to lick the water from Will's calves. 

“Hannibal, let me go, it’s not such a big deal, I-”

Will tries to get away from the iron grip. His dress is hanging loose around his neck, showing his definitely not feminine chest, and it is wrapped around his legs and tangled on his shoes. It is like being engulfed into a giant cocoon, especially because Hannibal's arms are warm, and it would be comfortable if Will had chosen it. 

“You were about to die.” Hannibal’s voice is clipped around the edges and his face is closed off. 

The piece of blue fabric, the reminder of the first time that Will has felt understood and cherished, is wrapped securely around Will's fist. 

“I knew you would save me.”

Hannibal's whole frame trembles before he closes his red eyes and puts Will down. Will untangles from the unnecessary layers of fabric and steps closer, reluctant to severe their contact now that he is on his feet. He tentatively touches Hannibal’s shoulder and blinks, finally realizing that his hand is glowing gold. 

“What's happen-” Chilton's voice has nothing of his usual assurance and breaks into a cough as he spits water. He is golden too. 

Hannibal turns his red glare to him, black horns growing over his head. “Shut up, you worthless wormin. You got your immortality. Now, get out of my sight.”

To Chilton's credit, he does not recoil, even if his hands tremble. Will stops Hannibal with an open palm over his chest and reluctantly steps towards Chilton. 

Chilton looks up at Will, understanding and sadness in his eyes. “You told me you were cursed.”

Will crosses his arms over his chest. “You assumed that yourself.” 

Chilton glances ar Hannibal, who has become a black antlered skeleton, skin taut over the bones, flaming red mouth. He straightens, standing tall in front of them. “You can still come with me on the Olympus. You can get away from… him.” 

Hannibal flinches at the words, so Will takes his hand. “No, Chilton.” 

The hero nods, an unexpectedly dignified answer. 

Will's tone softens. “To be blunt, my loyalties will always lie with Hannibal. You're alive by mistake. I'd suggest you'll never come here again, or we will kill you.”

Chilton looks at him one more time, studying his expression, then turns his back to them and leaves without a word. 

Will does not feel particularly inclined to move away from Hannibal, but Hannibal takes a step back to look him in the eyes. Always the gentleman. 

“I'm sorry I didn't pull you out quickly enough to retain your mortality. I’m afraid it isn't possible to reverse it.”

Even if he speaks plainly, there is something simmering just behind the surface. Will wants to reach out to comfort him, stops, then decides that they are way past hesitation. He caresses Hannibal’s cheek, just behind one of those deep eyes. “Well, I’m in my forties. I suppose I won't look ridiculous anymore.”

“But you never were.” Hannibal sounds relieved. Will smiles. When has he become so easy to read?

“Beside you? I'd like to be taken seriously.”

The strange emotion is back on the surface as Hannibal says, “Did you mean it, what you told Chilton?”

He is vulnerable, and Will feels equally shy as he answers, “Of course. You have much more than my loyalty. This is my home.”

Hannibal smiles, and he is human again. Will stares at him, enchanted by the small sparkles in his eyes, then leans forward. Decades of waiting, not knowing he was waiting, in a soft contact of lips to lips. Warm. Safe. 

Home.

**Author's Note:**

> RL is very demanding right now, so I'm unable to interact, write, read other works, or even answer comments. I still look at every single kudos and read every message, and they make me happy. Thank you everyone ♥


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